Posts tagged malware

Swing Copters, the latest game from Flappy Bird creator .GEARS Studios, could be one of the most difficult games you’ll ever play on a smartphone — but the frustration begins long before you actually start playing the game. Thanks to hundreds of clones that now litter Google Play, finding the original release is where the challenge really begins.

More than half a million Android smartphones across the U.S. and Europe have been infected by malware distributed by SMS, new research has found. Once the malicious software is installed, it is used to access all of the data stored on your phone that hackers might be interested in — including your text messages, call logs, contacts list, and even your photos.

Your Android-powered devices could be watching your every move — and you may not know a thing about it.

New research has revealed that Android applications have the ability to quietly take photos and videos in the background and then send them on to others without alerting the user. The discovery could open the door to a new kind of Android malware that doesn’t try to steal your money or your personal data, but instead spies on you as you use your mobile devices.

The next malware attack you run into on Android could cost you hundreds of dollars. Researchers have discovered a new trojan that holds your handset hostage until you’ve paid a heavy ransom, and its fear-mongering tactics are designed to make you cough up quick.

After making its way onto your device, “Android-Trojan.Koler.A” displays a supposed FBI warning that accuses you of viewing or storing “banned pornography.” It tells you your handset has been blocked, and it restricts access to many important functions — including your home screen — rendering your device useless until you pay a $300 “fine.”

Google has announced that Android will soon run continual security checks on your devices to keep them free from malware and other malicious code. The popular platform already has a “Verify Apps” feature that scans APK files and ensures they are safe before they’re installed, but with continual checks, Android becomes even safer.